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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. game — a match
  8. ball — a dance
  9. row — a line
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stock — goods
  12. staff — a stick
  13. game — wild animals
  14. rule — a law
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stock — shares
  18. rule — government
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. staff — employees
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com